


Lonely Alpha

by Opiekuna



Series: Matchmaking is fun [2]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: 5+1 Things, F/F, F/M, Future Fic, Happy Ending, How could they be so blind!, I Don't Even Know, Implied Sexual Content, Insecure!Derek, M/M, Misunderstandings, Multi, Oblivious Isaac, Oblivious Scott, Oblivious Stiles, Slightly crack, Warning: Ants, everyone is oblivious, not sorry, slight tooth-rotting fluff, sorry - Freeform, until they're not
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-14 01:20:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,303
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28663080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Opiekuna/pseuds/Opiekuna
Summary: Second (and last) part of the Matchmaking Series: After a little Derek angst, Stiles decides it’t time to get a pining Scott and Isaac together. Too bad that nothing is ever that easy even when you know it should be. But hey, they’ll get there in the end. (5+1 attempts it takes to get there)
Relationships: Chris Argent/Melissa McCall (mentioned), Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Isaac Lahey/Scott McCall, Liam Dunbar/Theo Raeken/Hayden Romero, Malia Tate/Kira Yukimura, Sheriff Stilinski/Joyce Summers (mentioned), Vernon Boyd/Erica Reyes
Series: Matchmaking is fun [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2100588
Comments: 1
Kudos: 23





	Lonely Alpha

It’s been seven months since Derek and Stiles started dating, and Derek can truthfully say that this is the happiest he has ever felt, the most grounded. The itch he has felt under his skin for years, that tells him he needs to do more, be better, seems to have calmed down finally. He doesn’t feel the need to move on any more.

Of course, it’s not all Stiles but he’s where it started – his belief in Derek made him feel… safe, made him want to stay. He supposes that the other members of the pack picked up on the fact that he wanted nothing more than to stay with them all so they in turn started to trust. It was rocky at first, with him always expecting Scott to return and take it all from him and sure, when the True Alpha first came back from Botswana – or rather, Northern Ireland, the majority of the pack had gravitated back to their Alpha.

It had made him so afraid and lonely all over again and the itch returned – for about a week until Stiles came to him. If he thought that he was happy before, it was nothing compared to how he felt after Stiles told him that he was in love with him.

By the time that Scott had been back for a month, things were more or less back to how they had been before his return – the pack seemed to remember Derek’s existence again and the ones who trained with him resumed doing so, shifting their schedules around a little to incorporate time with their Alpha as well.

It was perfect. Derek was with the man he loved, he had a pack he loved and a home and town that he would protect to his last breath, knowing that he did so alongside Stiles, Scott and the rest…

…So of course it all had to come crashing down. On Christmas of course. Of fucking course!

**S.T.E.R.E.K.**

It’s late on Christmas Day and the whole pack has spent the day with John and Joyce in their home (her daughters were still too busy to come visit, apparently), and throughout the whole day, he has caught Stiles looking yearningly at Lydia more times than he can count.

He should have known that he couldn’t hold on to someone as beautiful, smart, funny and loyal as Stiles for long – what did he really have to offer? Stiles deserved to be with someone more like Scott. Someone who could be bright and optimistic, someone who didn’t have so much baggage, someone… not him really.

Why did it have to be Lydia though? He could have dealt with him having a crush on Scott, knowing that it would never happen, because Scott was definitely not interested in Stiles like that but Lydia… how could she resist him? How could anyone?

Part of him wants to bury his head in the sand, part of him wants to scream and howl at Stiles that Lydia is clearly with Jordan – they’re even talking about having children soon, for Christ’s sake!

It doesn’t come much more unavailable than that.

He could just pretend not to notice, couldn’t he? Because surely even a little of Stiles is better than nothing. It’ll not be anywhere close to what he wants but at least he’ll still have a small piece of him.

Except he’s been spoiled these past months, having the majority of Stiles’ attention, being one of his favourite people.

Derek sighs and looks up at the night sky as they quietly walk back home – spotting the handful of constellations he knows sometimes helps to centre him - he’s going to do it, he’s going to confront Stiles and have his heart broken in the dying embers of Christmas Day…

…well, it’s not like anything good ever happened to him this time of year anyway. Maybe when Stiles is done shattering his heart, he can ask Deaton about a spell that allows him to really hibernate for at least three months or three years… maybe even three decades. It’s a thought.

Stiles looks over at him, reaching over to take his hand and lace their fingers together. “What’s up tonight, Sourwolf? You’ve been even more quiet than usual.” He speaks quietly to the man by his side.

Derek frowns and glances briefly over. So they’re doing this now…

“Are you happy with me?” Well, that wasn’t quite what he meant to say.

Stile flails a little, coming to a halt, Derek doing the same due to their joined hands. “Of course I am.” He pulls their joined hands up and places a kiss against Derek’s knuckles before a thought strikes him that seems to make the blood drain from his face. “Are… are you not?”

Derek rolls his eyes at the ridiculous question. “I’m not the one who spent most of tonight staring at Lydia.” And wow – he managed to actually put his fears into words, rather than locking them up tight. Stiles would be proud of him - if he wasn’t actually planning to break up with him. Maybe he’ll be proud anyway. Progress is still progress, he supposes.

Stiles blinks and lets the words roll around in his head, trying to understand. “Oh. Oh! No. No, no no! God, no – you know my crush on her has been done and dusted for years, Derek. I’m a one-werewolf man.” He smiled lopsidedly even as he wiggled his fingers for a moment until Derek let go but only to shift closer and wrap arms around him. “Derek, c’mon – these past seven months and three days have been the best of my life. I love you. I love the very bones of you, okay? You’re stuck with me Der, because there’s definitely nowhere else I wanna be – no one else I wanna be with.” His hand slid from Derek’s back up to his nape, applying just enough pressure to make Derek have to bite back a whine of contentment.

Derek sighed and lowered his face against Stiles’ neck, taking a deep breath as the immense relief washed over him, his cheeks turning red from a mixture of relief and embarrassment. “I’m sorry. I love you too. So much. I just…I got scared.”

“’s alright.” Stiles pulled his head back enough, his hand moving to Derek’s hair to pull just enough to make him lift his head. When he did, he kissed him for long minutes before breaking the kiss to nuzzle into the werewolf’s neck again. They stood there for a few more moments before Stiles spoke up again.

“I was trying to work out how to approach her about something.” That piqued Derek’s curiosity and he looked up, his head tilting to the side. Stiles smiled but refrained from making his usual dog joke. “You remember how good the two of us used to be, brainstorming stuff together.” He rolled his eyes, realising that what he just said didn’t really clarify anything. “I just realised today – you and I are together, Lydia is with Parrish, Malia has Kira, Liam has Theo or possibly long-distance Hayden, I dunno, can’t keep up with him at all these days. Mason and Cory have each other. Heck, even Dad found Joyce, and Melissa and Chris have each other. The only people that aren’t in relationships are Scott and Isaac.” He pouted a little as Derek pulled back from their hug to look at him.

He smirked a little and snuggled back into his boyfriend’s arms. “I just don’t want Scott to end up like Joey from Friends, y’know?” Stiles rolled his eyes when Derek looked blank at the reference. “C’mon babe, work with me here okay? We’ve been through this – a group of friends, Joey is the one who jumps from woman to woman, never settling down. There’s a great moment at the end of the series when Chandler and Monica reveal that in their new home, they’ve set aside a room for Joey, for when he’s older. That he’ll always have a home with them. I mean, it’s lovely and all – a really sweet sentiment that he definitely appreciates and loves them more for because it shows they love him just as he is and don’t need him to change because he’s family and that’s all that matters, but I don’t want that for Scott. I mean, obviously we’ll have a room for him but I don’t want him to be alone, you know?”

“He needs someone in his life, Derek – someone who will maybe anchor him to this town better or even just someone who is willing to travel with him and make sure he’s not lonely, that he’s happy and complete. I want him to feel as good with someone as you make me feel. I mean, I hate to be all Jerry Maguire here but yeah, ‘you complete me’.” He smirked a little, not at all embarrassed and enjoying another blank look from his boyfriend. “Old man.” He smiled adoringly as he leaned in and kissed the tip of Derek’s nose before the other had a chance to take offence. “MY old man though. Always.”

Derek’s heart melts a little at that kiss on those words but can’t help the snort that escapes him. Surely his mate can’t be that blind!

Stiles frowns at him. “What?”

Derek shakes his head. “Stiles… you know, you are one of the smartest, most brilliant people I have ever met but damn, you are really unobservant here.”

Stiles manages to choke on air at that. “What? What are you talking about? Derek!! What do I not know? I definitely didn’t miss Scott being in a relationship – he always tells me everything. Too much sometimes, if you ask me!”

For a moment, Derek is tempted to torture him and not fill him in, enjoying the fact that he has for once picked up on something that has totally sailed over Stiles’ head. “Oh, my poor, blind idiot.” He grins and pulls Stiles close again, kissing his temple. “If you want to set him up with someone, you don’t have to look far – Isaac is right there and most definitely willing. Scott is more than willing too.”

Stiles jolts a little. “Isaac?” He frowns in confusion, wondering where Derek got that idea from. He replays the duo’s interactions back in his mind: how close they stand, how Isaac smiles brightest when Scott is there, focusing his attention on him; how MOPEY he is if Scott isn’t around; the looks oh God, the looks… he is an idiot - Stiles actually want to smack himself in the face. “Alright – you have permission to smack me upside the head.” He snorts a laugh as Derek does just that, albeit lightly. “Nice. You are so definitely getting laid tonight.”

Derek laughs softly at the sarcastic tone, lowering his head to kiss the spot just behind Stiles’ left ear that reduces the younger man to jelly every time, and indeed Stiles clings just a little tighter to him, making his wolf want to howl with satisfaction.

Stiles can’t hold back a little whimper as Derek’s stubble is added to the mix, brushing over the delicate skin. “Hey, not playing fair!” For a moment Stiles wants nothing more than to tilt his head to give his boyfriend better access, but he somehow manages to resist (and he feels like he deserves some sort of medal for the amazing levels of self-restraint he shows in that moment). He pulls himself out of Derek’s arms, even going so far as to take a couple of steps back.

“Right, well they’re clearly even blinder than you and me, so we win, but I’m gonna talk to Lydia tomorrow and make this happen.” Because now that he thinks about it, he sees all the signs are there on both sides. Scott is just as gone on Isaac. This is going to happen!

Derek grins and pulls Stiles back to him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. “I’m looking forward to seeing the results – wanna bet on which one gets the message first?”

Stiles snorts. “Nah, no way – it’ll be Isaac for sure because Scott is just that oblivious – even more than me.”

Derek sighs. “Yeah you’re right. I can’t even bet in favour of Scott because that would be ridiculous… unless, what are we betting for? Make it good and I’ll do it anyway.”

Stiles smirks in a way that sends shivers of anticipation sliding down Derek’s spine. “Oh, I can think of a few things.“ He grabs Derek’s hand and starts walking, eager to get home. “C’mon, I need to get you home so that I can remind you that you are indeed my one and only, and that definitely involves us both wearing a lot less clothes and much more of your skin in my hands.

Honestly, if Derek was some sort of cat instead of a werewolf, he is sure he’d be purring right about now. “How’s your back? Still sore? I’m thinking a nice massage would be mutually beneficial – my hands covered in oil, all over your skin…” He grinned (a little) smugly as Stiles picked up his pace. “C’mon, what are we waiting for anyway?”

\- 0 -

Later as they’re lying in bed, close to sleep, Stiles lifts his head from Derek’s shoulder to look at him, a smile on his face. “I’m blaming you by the way.” At Derek’s raised eyebrow, he clarifies. “If you weren’t so gorgeous, intelligent, sexy, kind, the best kind of sarcastic and just so **fucking perfect –** I would definitely have noticed Scott and Isaac sooner.” (Is he laying it on thick to make sure that his boyfriend’s earlier insecurities have been laid to rest? Probably but nothing of what he said is a lie, so it’s all good.)

Derek stared into Stiles’ eyes for a moment, valiantly ignoring the blush spreading over his cheeks, not even remotely hidden by the stubble. “I love you too.” He leans up to kiss him and smirks against Stiles’ lips. “Look at us – two **fucking perfect** people, lying in bed and loving each other.” Stiles cracks up at that, his forehead falling to Derek’s shoulder as he giggles. “No wonder… you’re the…love of my life.” Derek grinned and nuzzled against him.

Stiles settles a little and hums contentedly. If he had heard that seven months ago, he probably would have made some self-deprecating joke but he’d had seven months of Derek’s love and the other man just made it easy to believe that he meant what he said. “I’m definitely going to marry you some day – probably in the next two or three years, actually.”

Derek groaned and shifted so he was on top of Stiles, his arms holding him up as he looked down into those gorgeous whiskey-coloured eyes. “Oh really? So will you be Stiles Hale or Stiles Stilinski-Hale or Stiles Hale-Stilinski?”

Stiles hummed in thought, even as Derek lowered his head to trail kisses over his neck. “See, that’s why it’s gonna be a while yet and not tomorrow – that and it’s probably gonna take you a couple of years to pronounce my actual name. Honestly though, as long as my name eventually gets a ‘Hale’ added to it, I don’t care.” He gasped as Derek growled in a possessive fashion, his teeth scraping down the column of his throat. “For right now though, I’m thinking about a round two?”

**Scott/Isaac**

1.

In the end, Stiles doesn’t bother to talk to Lydia – he can’t ever really seem to find her alone and it’s awkward as anything to try and talk to her with Parrish hovering about. It’s almost like the hellhound thinks that if he takes his eyes of Lydia and Stiles for so much as a second, that Stiles will whisk Lydia away, which, no thank you. He wouldn’t even give Derek up for all the coffee and curly fries in the world!

Anyway…

…Stiles decides the obvious thing to do is to get Scott and Isaac together, watching some soppy movie that will bring out all the feels so he sifts through Amazon, searching for inspiration – Serendipity maybe, with Kate Beckinsale and John Cusack? No wait – with her dark-haired cuteness, the two idiots would probably start thinking about Allison and that’d definitely be counter-productive... Love Actually with its boatload of stars? Hmm… no, it’s not happy enough in places… Penelope? Who could resist James McAvoy and Christina Ricci (Cute and adorable and dark haired and DAMNIT..!) Cat on a Hot Tin Roof? Stiles rolls his eyes at that – no way could anyone focus on the person beside them with Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman smouldering onscreen? Pretty Woman? Ehhh… not cute enough somehow even if it has both Richard Gere and Julia Roberts. He considers The Bodyguard for a moment but either Scott or Isaac would probably end up crying because of Whitney Houston’s untimely death. Again.

He growls and pulls at his hair in frustration - it should not be this hard to find a good romantic movie where the couple slowly fall in love and the actress doesn’t make anyone think about Allison! He snorts and discards The Notebook – at this point watching it again is more than likely to make any of them sick – even Lydia.

He just glares at the screen, totally not pouting until Derek comes in. When he explains the problem, Derek snorts and rolls his eyes. “Simply Irresistible.”

Which… yeah. That’s perfect really. Sarah Michelle Gellar and Sean Patrick Flannery… who could resist? “My future husband is a genius!” He grins and happily kisses Derek when he nuzzles in to him for a moment. Simply Irresistible – the movie that had Derek nearly crying happy tears near the end – who wouldn’t? Oh, the baking, the dancing, the perfect soundtrack, the slow falling in love...

Rather than downloading it, he decided to pay the extra money for the DVD – the last thing they wanted was buffering spoiling the romantic mood.

\- 0 -

It took two weeks to finally get both of the idiots to agree, without one or other having to run off to sort something out. Finally it was agreed though that Scott and Isaac both would be at the house on Friday night (giving them the whole weekend to enjoy themselves after that).

The plan was simple – the four of them meet up and after getting snacks arranged, they would start the movie. For sheer devilment, he and Derek would sit at opposite ends of the sofa (totally ignoring any looks from the two oblivious idiots who would probably think that he and Derek had had a fight) forcing Scott and Isaac into the middle. Derek and Stiles would then inch closer until Scott or Isaac was practically sitting in the other’s lap. Then give his brother and future brother-in-law ten minutes to get used to it before an emergency would conveniently happen that entailed Derek and Stiles leaving the house – an emergency that Stiles foresaw would involve some heavy petting in the Camaro but he was a good friend and would take that one for the team.

Being a good friend could be such a burden really.

…Why wasn’t it Friday already?

\- 0 -

It was a good plan – good but simple. It should have worked. WOULD have worked if either he or Derek had thought to factor Erica and Boyd into the equation but of course they didn’t. Because life in Beacon Hills always had to throw them a curve ball at every damned opportunity.

Everything went smoothly up to the point when Derek and Stiles left, waving Scott’s worries aside when he asked if they needed help – Scott didn’t even seem particularly invested in what Stiles was saying (almost like he thought that Stiles was just sneaking out to go make out with Derek which, fair enough really – Scott knew him too well), an arm actually wrapping more firmly around Isaac as his eyes stayed focused on the movie and/or Isaac – he couldn’t tell from this angle.

No doubt Sarah Michelle and Sean Patrick would have wept in disappointment to know that the romantic atmosphere set up so beautifully in their movie hadn’t been enough, had been thwarted by two **idiots**.

\- 0 -

Scott sighed softly as the two leads took to the dancefloor, charmed despite his best intentions – or maybe it was the proximity of Isaac. It really could go either way.

No, it was definitely the proximity – Isaac was completely engrossed by the movie, probably unaware of just how close he had gotten to Scott – he was practically draped across him. Not that he had any room to talk/complain – his arm was as tight around Isaac as he could get away with. God, all he wanted to do was snuggle into the other man. Might even have done it if Boyd and Erica hadn’t chosen that moment to come in, loudly making their presence known – well Erica did at any rate. She flopped down on the sofa beside them and started shoving at the two males until Isaac let out a soft sigh and moved to sit at the other side of Scott, all so she could put her feet up in Scott’s lap. “So what are we watching..?”

2.

When Stiles and Derek realised that the night had been ruined by the two Betas untimely arrival, Stiles had to resist banging his head against the wall. Derek was a little disappointed on Isaac’s behalf but he knew it would happen eventually – it had to, right? Surely the universe owed them that much.

Erica frowned. “Well, you said it yourself – they like each other… why don’t you tell them that and then tell them to ask the other out?”

Stiles sighed and shook his head. “I am disappointed right now Catwoman – don’t you think we thought of that already?” Derek snorted and patted Stiles’ head. “Isaac won’t make a move because he still has that damned inferiority complex that we’re working on and genuinely would never consider that Scott could like him. Scott… Scott is probably afraid that if he DOES try anything, Isaac won’t be able to refuse because he’s his alpha.” He looked to Stiles for confirmation who nodded and pointed his thumb at Derek as he looked at Erica. “What he said. That’s why we were setting the right atmosphere – neither would even be thinking. Just in the mood and bam! I get my new brother-in-law!”

Erica snorted. “Sure, Batman.” She frowned in thought. “They did seem awfully close when we came in, now I think about it. I don’t think it would take much. What about a romantic dinner – maybe at that new place. I’m sure that Derek wouldn’t mind springing for it, right Derek?”

Derek just rolled his eyes. “If it makes them happy, it’d be worth it.” Erica beams at him. “Hard to believe that I used to think you were a tough nut…. So we book a table then tell them it’s non-refundable and that you and Stiles can’t go any more and that everyone else is busy and that it’s all paid for so the two of them might as well go, right?”

It might have worked if they had known that Chris Argent was back from his latest travels to wherever – he had **of course** set up a reservation with Melissa for the same damned place and OF COURSE had to just ask for their tables to be put together so they could catch up.

They couldn’t justify another fallen through date to get them back at a later date so that was done and dusted.

“Damnit, this matchmaker business is harder than I thought.” Erica pouted and looked at the three males sitting glumly in the sitting room with her. Boyd, Derek and Stiles didn’t even bother to speak – their silence spoke for itself.

3.

They clued Argent in next, in the hopes that whatever date they figured out next wouldn’t be gate-crashed by the hunter again.

Argent took it well, considering that both young men had at one point been in relationships with his daughter. He sighed and bit his lip for a moment because honestly a part of him felt that if she were still alive, she wouldn’t have been averse to some sort of three-way relationship. “Picnic. Picnics are always good.” He nodded to himself once then walked out. “I have a thing…”

“That’s… not a bad idea. I mean, something in the evening would be better but it’s still a bit cold.”

Stiles snorted and looked at Erica. “They’re werewolves, Catwoman. I don’t think a little cold will bother them, do you?”

Erica laughed and shook her head. “Right. Picnic it is, then.”

So it was arranged – a picnic that definitely (somehow) only Scott and Isaac would attend. And because at this point they were getting desperate (the pining and UST was getting a bit much tbh, not just for the werewolves and their delicate noses but for the human who just. Couldn’t. Take it. God, was he that bad about Derek? –yes.), it was go big or go home time – subtle was going right out the window. He had googled it already and there would be artichokes, asparagus, chocolate, figs, oysters, spicy chili peppers, strawberries, watermelon.

So yeah, that’s what happened – Stiles and Derek went shopping and got all the stuff, met the two idiots at the door and turned them around, pulling them both into the woods where they had laid out a picnic blanket with all the usual trimmings relating to an obviously romantic picnic. Scott looked at them, very obviously confused. “Um… you want us to crash your romantic picnic?” (See – not even a little bit subtle when even Scott guessed right – and that’s before he saw the food.)

“Nah Scotty boy – this is for you and Isaac. Derek and I… yeah bye.” He shrugged, turned and grabbed Derek’s hand and pulled him away, back to the house. Derek snorted. “Subtle.”

“Subtle is overrated. Speaking of… let’s go have sex.”

Derek burst out laughing but continued to follow his dork. “Yeah, okay.” He grinned as he pulled Stiles to a stop and lifted him up to carry him home, fireman-style both to hopefully startle a laugh out of his mate and to get them there faster. Stiles didn’t disappoint as he laughed with absolute delight. “GREAT view.” He let his hand run over and squeeze Derek’s ass, Derek laughed and reciprocated. “Yeah.”

\- 0 -

It should have been fine – they had warned everyone in the pack just to be sure that no one would bother them. No one else would be likely to be out in the woods... except for the bloody ants of course!

Ants! All over the place apparently.

“Come on Universe, give us all a break!” He stated it firmly at the sky, rather than screaming it like he wanted to. “Please?” It didn’t hurt to beg, right? After all, Isaac and Scott had come back COVERED in bites – and the basket and blanket and everything else had been left to the elements because they’d been too distracted talking about…whatever they were talking about…to notice that they were covered.

Werewolves or not, ant bites stung. A Lot.

Turns out becoming a werewolf hadn’t meant that his allergy to ant bites had gone away because two weeks later, Isaac was still showing visible signs. “I’m a werewolf. How am I still allergic? Life sucks.” Oh God, the pouting – Stiles could not cope. He just wanted to wrap the boy up in bubble wrap or give him a massage to make him sleep for a while… wait, maybe he could get Scott to give Isaac a massage to help him out but of course, Scott was an idiot. “Stiles, a massage would probably just make him feel worse with all the itching going on.”

Scott just blinked in confusion as Stiles walked off, mumbling “stupid common sense, stupid werewolves.”

4.

Derek had a plan – a great plan. A solid plan even…

…it was brilliant in its simplicity really…

…he was going to tell them both that they liked each other. It was going to go brilliantly!

\- 0 -

…it did not go brilliantly. Not even close. He was starting to think that not only were the two of them more oblivious than he and Stiles but that he and Stiles would both be bald before this was done – the sheer frustration of it all making them tear their hair out and honestly, that would be a crime because Stiles hair was perfect. Both Derek and Stiles really liked to run their fingers through it a lot. Honestly it was a tough choice as to whether he liked to watch Stiles playing with it or if he preferred to be the one doing that. God, Derek loved pulling it too, with just enough pressure to make Stiles moan… that sound, the look on his face…

Derek coloured with embarrassment as a cough behind him pulled him out of his thoughts and he remembered that he was standing in the queue in the supermarket. He sighed and shook his head, trying to clear it of thoughts of his mate and that hair.

What had he been thinking of..?

Oh right – Scott and Isaac. They were hopeless. It should have been easy but it was anything but. When he told Isaac that Scott had feelings for him, the younger man had turned bright red and squeaked and run away. Scott was only slightly better, turning red but not running away. Scott shook his head frantically. “He thinks of me as a… I’m his alpha, Derek – he looks up to me. I mean, not that he doesn’t look up to you obviously but y’know he’s… yeah.” THEN Scott ran off.

Goddamnit!

5.

The next pack meeting saw both Isaac and Scott missing – not together, unfortunately. Isaac had to work late, Scott was spending time with Melissa and Chris. Derek shrugged. “Seems like a good time as any to throw it out to the pack, right?”

Most of them were totally useless of course – or rather, everyone more or less suggested everything that had already been done before. Hayden suggested a romantic cruise but, as much as Derek loved his pack, he was not spending thousands on sending them away – honestly though, he was almost desperate enough to do it, but given their track record, one or both would probably fall over the side of the boat and never be seen again. It wasn’t worth the risk.

Stiles sighed and looked at Derek as the moved into the kitchen to get dinner out of the oven (nothing fancy tonight – just chicken curry with rice). “Let’s just… if one of them comes up with something original, we’ll go with it, okay? It can hardly be any worse than anything else we’ve already tried!”

Derek shrugged as he reached down the bowls and plates that everyone preferred. He set them down on the table and moved over to Stiles to hug him, just because. “Okay.” He shifted closer to press a kiss against Stiles’ forehead. “Don’t worry, love. They’re gonna get there. We might have been too caught up to notice it to start but now we have, we were definitely blind… there’s no way this won’t happen.”

Stiles pouted just a little, hoping it would get him a kiss. It did. (Score!) “I’d like it to happen before I’m sitting beside you in some retirement home, cussing at the TV because they’ve rescheduled whatever home renovation programme you’ve forced me to watch.”

Derek mock-glared at him even as that image charmed him hopelessly. “I strongly suspect you’ll be making us watch SpongeBob or Batman cartoons, not renovation programmes.”

Stiles grinned and kissed Derek’s nose. “Damn straight. Otherwise you’ll get too grumpy and scare away the pretty nurses.”

“Idiot.” Stiles didn’t bother taking offence at that, given that he could feel Derek smile against his lips.

Just as things were starting to get a bit heated, Erica bounded in. “Hey, Mom and Dad - stop making out and give me my food!”

Stiles sighed as he reluctantly pulled away from Derek. For someone who talked so much about the sex she had with Boyd (loudly and often), he was starting to think that the words ‘cock’ and ‘blocker’ should be added to her name. Good job that his Catwoman was loveable.

After eating, Theo spoke up about the whole Scott-Isaac thing. “Why not send them to the movies? The back row is good for making out. The movie here was good enough but everyone knows that the cinema sets the mood better.” He smirked as beside him, Liam turned red and resolutely stared down at his now-empty bowl.

Derek manfully resisted the urge to facepalm as Stiles’ question about Liam’s sex life was answered. “Sure, do that. Why not.”

The rest of the group agreed and it was settled.

\- 0 -

Derek manfully resisted the urge to murder both Theo and Liam for disappointing Stiles. It should have been easy (that was fast becoming a mantra for this whole farce). How hard could it be to get two people who like each other into the cinema to watch a romantic movie so that they would feel the mood and kiss already?

Answer: Very hard when it’s something that Theo and Liam had arranged. Because instead of the romantic movie that would be the logical choice, Theo organised tickets for a re-release of SAW! (Fucking WHAT?!!)

“Saw, Theo? Really? Are you always this dumb? Or are you just trying to mess with the pack again!” Malia stood glaring at him, her eyes promising his imminent death and Stiles decided to just stay at the table, sharing a smirk with Derek as Theo paled as he struggled to meet her gaze. “I didn’t… I wouldn’t… Malia, I would never… I…” He took a deep breath, running his hand through his hair as he gathered his thoughts. “I thought it would work. It’s… it’s so much like our own messed up lives that I figured they’d get bored and decide to talk and then make out.”

Malia blinked at the logic for a moment, deflating a little. “Yeah okay… I can see that that might work…” She frowned as she turned to look at Stiles, unsure.

Stiles sighed and waved her off – it was tempting to let her maim Theo a little but honestly, the fact that Theo looks so unsure and genuinely repentant would take all the fun out of it. “We’ll think of something else.”

+1

Isaac took a deep breath and steadied his nerves for a moment before he knocked on the door. He only had to wait for a moment before it was opening and then Scott was smiling at him. “Hi Isaac.” He stepped back to allow his friend to come in, gesturing for him to head to the kitchen where he had been making dinner. “Everything okay?”

Isaac frowned as he shrugged. “I think so?”

Scott tilted his head to the side as he set down the knife he had just lifted up to resume cutting carrots. He walked back over to stand near Isaac.

Isaac sighed. “Can we sit down?”

Scott frowned but nodded, pointing him in the direction of the sitting room. He sat down, turning to face the other. “What’s happening?”

Isaac growled and stood up only to start pacing. “This is harder than I thought it was going to be – and I didn’t think it was going to be easy.” He continued to pace for a moment as Scott’s frown deepened. After a moment though, Isaac moved back to the sofa and sat down, closer to Scott this time. He turned to look at him then changed his mind, facing forward again. He closed his eyes and just breathed. Scott hesitantly reached out to touch his arm or his hand or something but before he did, Isaac opened his eyes and turned around again.

“I don’t normally do this but, I mean, the pack seems to think it’s a thing and they’re not exactly subtle – the movies, the picnic, the dinner reservation… they can’t ALL be wrong.” He rolled his eyes. “Well, clearly Theo can be and often is… but not about this.”

Scott and Isaac both smirked at that. “Date me?”

Scott blinked and Isaac cursed softly and facepalmed, missing the way that Scott’s frown gave way, being replaced by a soft, adoring smile. “I had a whole speech worked out you know. To persuade you.” He dared to move his fingers so he could peek at Scott as he heard the other man laugh – not in a cruel way (because he was 100% sure that Scott couldn’t do such a thing). It gave him hope.

Scott continued to smile as he reached up and gently pulled Isaac’s hand away from his face. He leaned in and placed a soft kiss against Isaac’s lips. “This was perfect. YOU are perfect.”

Isaac seemed to be a little star-struck. “So that’s a yes?”

Scott laughed and pulled him into a hug. “Yes, it most definitely is!”

Anyone watching would have been hard-pushed to say which one of the two had the biggest smile in that moment.

\---

Their first (intentional) date was a total success – as would every other one be that wasn’t disturbed by pack members, hunter friends or ants.

\---

Stiles and Derek couldn’t even find it in themselves to be upset when at their wedding reception two years later, Scott decided to get down on one knee and propose to Isaac – fortunately he had the wit to not do it at the mating ceremony six months prior or they MIGHT have been upset.

**Author's Note:**

> Again, this is written for G. Because she thinks that Derek/Stiles is okay but Scott is a fluffy puppy who deserves lots of cuddles and loves and who better to give him those than the fluffy scarf-wearing puppy that is Isaac.
> 
> Disclaimer: I make no profit from any of this. Except maybe a hug or two from G if she likes what she reads. I definitely do not own Teen Wolf, Buffy, Love Actually, Penelope, Serendipity, Friends, SpongeBob, Home Renovation shows or anything or anybody from the DC Universe. I don't own very much at all tbh
> 
> Also, yes in my universe, Buffy and Sarah Michelle Gellar exist on the same planet because I said so. :D


End file.
